Over the top...

[lifesaver]

Ok, this is a bit long winded, but stick with me. I guess I just need to vent. Maybe its not the right word, vent, i dunno. Here goes. I just was really wierded out tonight when I saw something on TV. I'll get there....

Everyone I know is becoming a celeb.

Well, not everyone. Heres the story. I come from a really, really small town out in the middle of nowhere, Texas. I mean so in the middle of nowhere we were closer to 5 other state capitals than our own. I graduated HS with just 180 other people. My family had been there since the 40's. I grew up there. (Family now lives in Houston.) Anyway, I HATED growing up there. You know the drill, nothing to do, nothing cool ever happens. Small town america - cops bust the HS kids chops, there was a "wrong side of the tracks" yada. We were the town from footloose. I was resentful of the kids in big towns because I felt I got gyped on my education, as most of everything I ever took before college was a joke. (For gods sake in Economics all we ever did was watch CNN). I graduated and went 14 hours away to college. Didnt want anything to do withthat place. Halfway htrough college my mom sells the house and moves to houston. (story of my life, a day late and a dollar short).

I have been back to my hometown 1 time since 1995. I wasnt really big on it. Still aint. Anyway, No one famous EVER came from my hometown. The population is under 8000. Some guy my mom graduated with inthe 60's competed inthe olympics in the 70s, but thats about it.

Well, in 1996 things started to change. I kid I went to school with named Zach got signed with the Miami Dolphins.

In 1997 Brad, my neighbor from around the corner who gave me rides to school (he was dating my sister) gets a gig with MTV doing that show Austin Stories as a character named Chip.

In 1998, my former prom date Julie gets hired by CNN as a reporter.

In 2000 I find out that jeremy, the dorky kid from my 7th grade english class is the front man for one of my favorite Texas music bands, Cross Canadian Ragweed.

In 2001, I hear of a band, Cooder Graw, that has a song about my hometown. Well several parts of the CD is about my hometown. Matt Martindale, the founder of the band was good friends with my sister. He was roomies with Matt McConaughey at UT law school (bet yall didnt know he was an attorney) anyway, Mr Wedding Planner fronted the money for matt to start his band. Freaks me out that my sister and Matt McConaughey are both thanked in the liner notes.

Last month when Page, the Theta from A&M turned up missing, I find out that I know her, and her parents were my youth leaders and my sis used to babysit here and her brother Ryan. (i even posted how freaked out I was. glad shes ok tho)

Then the topper. Tonight I am watching everybody loves raymond (marie is SO my mother) and I start channel surfing because becker comes on and ted Danson sucks. So I stop on HBO and am watching "project greenlight" and I see this woman who looks really familiar. But I am whatever. Then they show her name and its Michelle Sy. Her dad was my doctor. We were on yearbook staff together. She is a Director of Development for Miramax films. Whoa!

I guess my issue is this. I had pretty much discounted my whole town and past and really started living my life in college. I figured I didnt have to worry about personal success (comparing myself to others), because nothing ever happend big time to people from my hometown. So as long as I was personally happy, I didnt have to compete on a big scale for the whole who's done this and that at reunions. Dont get me wrong, I am so happy all of them have found success and happiness in their lives. Thats what all of us deserve. Its just highlighted that I am not as far along in my journey of not giving a shit what others think as I'd like to be. amazing how the littlest of things can hold the mirror right up to our faces and show us something we never thought we'd see.

Anyway, just needed to vent. Get it off my chest. Not so wierded out about it now. now I am goin to go to bed.